No one should have to relived and repeat over over a terrible experience like being raped. They should have a clear protocol that all employee know about and follow. I believe companies such as Vodafone should treat victims of serious crimes with respect especially when they have been customers a long time. The impact has been financial, emotional and completely unfair. It's added to a terrible part of my life. I want to speak out for those who can't. I want victims of rape and other crimes to feel valued and believed at a time in there lives the are at their lowest. This isn't just about my case it's about how companies treat people! To be told I'm basically lying about rape to get a new phone is just disgusting. I was raped a week last Friday. The police took my phone as evidence. They assured me Vodafone would help. I called, chatted online for 2 days, repeatedly telling them about a traumatic experience. I went into store eventually and had to explain in public. I was told over the phone i could keep my number and i could have a replacement iPhone, I was cut off just as they were taking the details. At store I was told I had to get a top up phone- £35 plus whatever needed to be topped up. As I'm concerned for my safety, as the accused rapist has bail, I'm using my mums contract on the same Vodafone account. Her contract is a lower tariff and I have had to pay extra for more internet. We are still paying for a contract that I can't use and I think that that tariff should have been linked over to my Mum's phone. I feel upset I've had to tell them over and over i was raped - it's personal. I have been lied to, told I would get a new phone and as I said we are paying for a contract I can't use. It could be months/year with the police if it's evidence. This is a summary. As you can imagine I am traumatised and I have to chase Vodafone around. What is a new phone to them? Both me and my mum are isolated. Vodafone should care about victims of serious crimes, if it was stolen I would have a new one no questions, but being raped well that doesn't matter to them. I have crime ref and everything. I feel lied to that they offer me an upgrade and then I get nothing and am paying what I can't afford. They also said they were making a record so I wouldn't have to explain in store but i did. they should have empathy and ethics. After being given a case worker and speaking to vodafone numerous times, telling them only murder cases getting family liason officiers, after telling them i have had no police contact for 14 days and they themselves not being able contact the serious sexual offences unit, so they can then believe me, i'm traumatised. We are left paying for a contract which we want to now cancel costs £100s. i'm sickened by vodafone. they have made a terrible situation worse. so our option is to end the contract at masive expensive. i am a victim of a violent crime, and i'm not believed. I only wanted a replacement phone. I feel the whole of vodafone know my sexual history now. brick wall and no empathy at vodafone. maybe they employ people who would make up stories about rape but i wouldn't. i advise no one to use this company. i will be blogging my expereinces as no one deserves this treatment. if this doesn't constitute special circumstances what on earth does?!

update: My mum is also on vodaphone and she was recieving bills double her contract price. Therefore she called and had to repeat 4 or 5 times that her daughter (me) was violently raped and the phone should have been cancelled free of charge. I feel completely humiliated that not only did i have to tell so many people i was violently assaulted but my mum does too. they kept her on the phone transfering her and telling her the story would be passed on but it wasn't and she had to go over and over i was raped. in the end they put her on hold so long she hung up and it is still not cancelled which was promised to us by vodafone. She then checked her bill and that phone call where she had to talk about my rape to different departments and it cost £30. this is completely unethical.they sent me a card and flowers to silent me.. i am just getting mylife bc to normal and the news of vodphone again has set me back. plrease support me. it could happen to any of us and we expect to be believed and have empathy from other. I have had at least 2 people imply i was lying. companies need to have ethics, if i was vunerable or living in poverty this would have ruined my life.